ASPIRING Commonwealth Games athlete Rachel Hunter says years of taunting from vicious bullies has driven her to succeed and brought her close to Games glory.

Rachel Hunter is striving to compete in the hammer throwing event at the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

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TOMBOY Rachel Hunter was targeted by bullies every day at school because she was so sporty – now she’s using their taunts to drive her on to Commonwealth Games glory.

Hammer thrower Rachel, 20, has just thrown a titanic 62.76m, giving her a great chance of making Team Scotland – and ramming the insults down her tormentors’ throats.

The throw at Grangemouth beat the qualifying standard for Glasgow 2014 – and set a personal best.

It also elevated her into third place in the Scottish all-time list and means she probably only has to clear the mark one more time to book a place in the Games.

Rachel said: “I had a really tough time from bullies because I was into sports and I had big shoulders and I always wore my hair up with a bauble. “I made out I wasn’t that bothered but they made my life hell.

“But I’ve managed to channel my energy into sport and the bad time I got has been a positive force for me.

“The people who were making my life a misery are unlikely to do much with themselves.

“They’re so wrapped up in making other people unhappy, they are probably unemployed or working in fast food restaurants.

“I don’t think I’m better than people generally but I like to think I’m better than the bullies and succeeding in sport is my way of proving that.”

Rachel, from Ayr, said she was approached in the town by two of her tormentors who had read of her success in the papers.

She said: “They were happy to chat to me because I’d had good things written about me but I didn’t notice them admitting to being bullies or apologising. I didn’t bother talking to them and that’s just the way I feel.”

Rachel has come on leaps and bounds since former Scottish hammer champion Chris Black agreed to be her coach last year.

She said: “Chris taught me to believe in myself and I’m trying to get my head around the possibility that I belong in the highest level competitions. If I keep making big throws then I’ll have to believe that.

“I get a bit excited when I get a personal best and I need to keep my feet on the ground and focus on the next throw. I’m getting better at that side of things as we go along.

“I’m not in the Commonwealth Games yet and there are two other very good throwers in with a chance. All I can do is focus on getting the throws I need and the rest will hopefully fall into place.”

Rachel said that the bullying in her past has set her up to thrive as an underdog.

She said: “I got used to being written off but that means you just have to get into the way of bouncing back and proving people wrong.”